A country that's been through hell most of its history. Per capita wage is something like $2 a day, lowest in N. or S. America. One in 8 kids grows up an orphan.

I had a buddy back in HS that I lost track of until a recent reunion, and have been keeping up with on FB. Gave up an unstaisfying career back in the 90s and chucked it all, went to Haiti with a church group to do some charity work, and found his life's calling. Set up a couple of organizations that helps Haitians lift themselves out of this shit. Married a Haitian woman a little late in life and has 2 beautiful kids. They spend about half their time outside of Port au Prince and the other half outside Miami. Everyone was freaking out on FB, but his brother said the family appears to be OK.

I've spent a lot of time the past few years thinking about giving back, the bigger picture of life kind of stuff, and I keep thinking about what this guy has been able to do. It's pretty humbling, actually. He's posted occasional videos with stuff in Haiti: his humble house there, kids in dance groups, street vendors with paintings... There's a simple beauty to the place and its people that I can't exactly explain, and it's sad that they have to endure the everyday tribulations they do, much less something like this.

I look back on the things I bitch about: having a nagging chest cold, Steelers missing the playoffs, cold weather... and sort of snaps me back to the big picture.

If you pray, pray for these people. And maybe even pray for them if you don't, just by way of keeping them in your thoughts.

Finny, do you have some contact info that you could send me? I've already started making some calls to people about organizing a trip to go down there. Any info would be appreciated.

I'll send you his info when I get home. I don't know if his group will be actively doing emergency aid, or if it will be better to go through more visible channels (e.g., Red Cross), but I hope to have some updates soon.

Typical Pat Robertson. Blames the victims, said the Haitians made a pact with the devil 200 years ago.

Does anyone still believe that Robertson is a man of God?

(CNN) -- Pat Robertson, the evangelical Christian who once suggested God was punishing Americans with Hurricane Katrina, says a "pact to the devil" brought on the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Officials fear more than 100,000 people have died as a result of Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Haiti.

Robertson, the host of the "700 Club," blamed the tragedy on something that "happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it."

The Haitians "were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III and whatever," Robertson said on his broadcast Wednesday. "And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, 'We will serve you if you will get us free from the French.' True story. And so, the devil said, 'OK, it's a deal.' "

Native Haitians defeated French colonists in 1804 and declared independence.

"You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other." Robertson has previously linked natural disasters and terrorist attacks to legalized abortion in the United States. Soon after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, killing more than 1,800 and wreaking unprecedented devastation on New Orleans, Louisiana, Robertson weighed in with his own theory.

Die slowly in a horrible grease fire you piece of shit. Asshats like you are slowing down the evolutionary process.

Mostly been following this online, and NPR radio. Was flipping through TV a bit at one point. On CNN, Larry King was covering the crisis. On Fox, Sean Hannity had two blonde chicks, and the three of them were yucking it up pretty good over the Democrats' impending doom in the mid-term elections.

Typical Pat Robertson. Blames the victims, said the Haitians made a pact with the devil 200 years ago.

Does anyone still believe that Robertson is a man of God?

Robertson's a douche.

Logged

It's a hot night. The mind races. You think about your knife; the only friend who hasn't betrayed you, the only friend who won't be dead by sun up. Sleep tight, mates, in your quilted Chambray nightshirts.